Nutrient Deficiencies That May Be Secretly Triggering Your Anxiety

Full Disclosure: Clicking on these links could mean a tiny commission for me, at no extra cost to you.

If you’re feeling more anxious than usual and can’t quite figure out why, it could be nutrient deficiencies causing anxiety. Nutrient deficiencies are often overlooked when it comes to mental health but it can have a big impact on how we feel mentally and emotionally. From low energy to increased anxiety and stress levels, your body could very well be missing out on some key vitamins and minerals, like potassium gummies, that could actually help lower anxiety and keep those uncomfortable symptoms at bay. Let’s see which vitamins for anxiety we should be adding into our daily supplement and self-care routine.

What’s the Link Between Diet and Anxiety?

Diet and anxiety are closely connected. What you eat directly impacts your mood and anxiety levels. For example, foods high in sugar and processed ingredients cause spikes in blood sugar, which leads to increased feelings of nervousness and irritability. 

On the other hand, a balanced anti-anxiety diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can help stabilize your mood and mental health. Some specific nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins for anxiety, like magnesium supplements are particularly beneficial for reducing anxiety. 

Staying hydrated and avoiding excessive caffeine is also important. These two steps can prevent anxiety symptoms altogether or at the very least, stop them from worsening. Needless to say, by making healthier food choices, you can support your mental well-being and reduce anxiety naturally.

7 Nutrient Deficiencies Causing Anxiety to Spiral

If your anxiety has been spiraling out of control, it could be more than just stress to blame. Nutrient deficiencies might be quietly fueling the fire, making it harder to manage those anxious feelings. Here are seven key deficiencies that could be playing a role in your anxiety, and knowing them could be the first step to regaining your balance.

1. Magnesium

Magnesium plays an important role in regulating our nervous system ¹. If you have low levels of magnesium, your anxiety and stress will increase because it influences neurotransmitters that control mood. This increased stress causes your body to go through the magnesium is does have even quicker, leading to more stress and so on and so forth.

Here are some key benefits of including magnesium in your diet:

Here are some key benefits of magnesium for overall health, with a special focus on mental health and anxiety:

• Regulates the Nervous System: Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters that send signals to the brain, playing a key role in managing mood and anxiety levels.
• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Studies show that magnesium has calming effects on the body, helping reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to lower levels of anxiety.
• Improves Sleep Quality: Magnesium promotes relaxation and helps in regulating the body’s sleep-wake cycle, which is crucial for reducing anxiety and improving mental health.
• Supports Brain Function: It enhances cognitive function by aiding in neural activity and protecting against neuroinflammation, helping to keep mood balanced and anxiety in check.
• Balances Blood Sugar Levels: By stabilizing blood sugar, magnesium reduces energy crashes and mood swings, which can be triggers for anxiety.
• Eases Symptoms of Depression: Low magnesium levels are often linked with depression, and supplementing it can help improve symptoms of both depression and anxiety.
• Relaxes Muscles and Reduces Tension: Magnesium helps muscles relax, relieving physical tension that often accompanies anxiety and stress.
• Prevents Migraines: Magnesium has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraines, which are often associated with heightened anxiety levels.

Magnesium also helps with muscle relaxation and sleep. This is important for both physical and mental health. So, taking a magnesium supplement is absolutely imperative if you have an anxiety disorder or are struggling with stress management.

You can also include more magnesium-rich food sources in your diet, such as leafy greens, seeds, nuts, and whole grains.

2. Potassium

Potassium helps regulate the body’s fluid balance and is vital for nerve function. One of its key functions is transmitting signals that affect mood and anxiety. As such, a deficiency in potassium can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety, as well as fatigue. Potassium also supports healthy heart function and helps maintain stable blood pressure in your body.

Here are the benefits of potassium, specifically for your mental health and anxiety:

• Regulates Nervous System Function: Potassium plays a crucial role in maintaining proper nerve function, helping to regulate communication between the brain and the body, which can reduce anxiety and stress responses.
• Balances Electrolytes: Proper potassium levels help maintain the body’s electrolyte balance, which can prevent fatigue, irritability, and anxiety often linked to imbalances.
• Supports Brain Function: Potassium is essential for healthy brain function and can help improve cognitive abilities, which can boost mood and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.
• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: By regulating muscle contractions and nerve signals, potassium can help ease physical tension and stress, leading to reduced anxiety symptoms.
• Improves Heart Health: Potassium helps regulate heart function and blood pressure, which can prevent palpitations and other physical symptoms of anxiety.
• Promotes Better Sleep: Potassium helps to relax muscles and nerves, contributing to improved sleep quality, which is important for mental health and managing anxiety.
• Regulates Blood Sugar Levels: Low potassium levels can disrupt blood sugar balance, leading to mood swings and irritability, which can worsen anxiety.
• Supports Energy Levels: Proper potassium intake helps maintain energy levels throughout the day, reducing the risk of fatigue and mental burnout, both of which can contribute to anxiety.

Some foods to include to increase your potassium intake are: bananas, potatoes, and avocados. You may also take a potassium supplement.

3. Vitamin B Complex

The Vitamin B Complex includes B6, B12, and folate. It is crucial for brain function and the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which affect your mood.  As a result, deficiencies in these B vitamins can lead to increased anxiety and depression. Taking these vitamins for anxiety can also boost energy levels and help prevent cognitive decline.

Here are the benefits of B vitamins for overall health, particularly for mental health and anxiety:

• Supports Nervous System Health: B vitamins, especially B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12, are essential for proper nerve function, which helps regulate mood and prevent anxiety.
• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: B vitamins, particularly B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6, play a role in producing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for mood regulation and reducing anxiety.
• Boosts Energy Levels: B vitamins, especially B12 and B9 (folate), help convert food into energy, preventing fatigue and exhaustion that can lead to increased anxiety and stress.
• Improves Cognitive Function: B vitamins, including B9 (folate) and B12, are important for brain health and cognitive function, helping to improve focus and memory, which can reduce anxiety and mental fog.
• Enhances Mood: B vitamins like B6, B9 (folate), and B12 help regulate the production of mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters, which can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Supports Hormonal Balance: Vitamin B6 is particularly important for regulating hormone levels, which can help reduce mood swings and anxiety related to hormonal imbalances, such as during PMS or menopause.
• Reduces Symptoms of Depression: Deficiencies in B12 and folate are linked to increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and proper intake can improve mood and mental health.
• Promotes Better Sleep: B vitamins, especially B6 and B12, help regulate sleep patterns by producing melatonin, which can improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety associated with insomnia.

Some foods with high B vitamins include eggs, whole grains, and dairy products.  You can also take a B-complex supplement.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is usually associated with bone health. However, another important function of it is to improve brain health and mood regulation. 

A deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to increased anxiety and depression because it affects serotonin levels (the hormone that stabilizes mood) ². D vitamins for anxiety also support immune function.

Here are the benefits of vitamin D for overall health, with a focus on mental health and anxiety:

• Regulates Mood and Reduces Anxiety: Vitamin D helps regulate the production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters like serotonin, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Supports Cognitive Function: Adequate levels of vitamin D are essential for brain health, helping improve memory, focus, and cognitive function, which can ease anxiety and mental fatigue.
• Reduces Symptoms of Depression: Deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to increased rates of depression and anxiety. Maintaining optimal levels can improve mood stability and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.
• Boosts Immune System: Vitamin D supports immune health, and a strong immune system can reduce inflammation and stress in the body, both of which contribute to anxiety.
• Helps Regulate Stress Hormones: Vitamin D plays a role in regulating cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, helping to lower stress levels and prevent anxiety from spiraling.
• Promotes Better Sleep: Vitamin D helps regulate sleep-wake cycles, improving sleep quality, which is crucial for managing anxiety and maintaining mental well-being.
• Supports Bone and Muscle Health: Adequate vitamin D levels support bone and muscle health, preventing physical discomfort that can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
• Reduces Inflammation: Chronic inflammation can negatively impact mental health, and vitamin D’s anti-inflammatory properties help protect against the mental effects of physical stress.

You can get vitamin D from sunlight or an artificial sunlight lamp if you’re in a cloudy location or season. You can also include more fortified foods and fatty fish like salmon in your diet. Of course, taking a Vitamin D supplement is an option as well.

5. Iron

Iron helps our body make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. A lack of iron can lead to fatigue and irritability, which can cause anxiety. An iron deficiency is also linked to restless leg syndrome, which can worsen anxiety symptoms as it disrupts your sleep. On the other hand, iron helps maintain energy levels and supports overall brain function. It also stabilizes your mood by combating fatigue, and irritability, and improving your sleep quality.

Here are the benefits of iron for overall health, with a focus on mental health and anxiety:

• Supports Cognitive Function: Iron is essential for transporting oxygen to the brain, which supports cognitive functions like focus, memory, and concentration. Low iron levels can lead to mental fatigue and brain fog, often worsening anxiety.
• Reduces Fatigue and Irritability: Iron deficiency can cause fatigue, which can increase stress and irritability, common triggers for anxiety. Proper iron levels help maintain energy and reduce these symptoms.
• Improves Mood: Iron is involved in the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are crucial for mood regulation. Low iron levels may lead to imbalances, contributing to anxiety and depression.
• Regulates Nervous System Health: Iron supports proper nervous system function, ensuring efficient communication between the brain and the body, which helps manage mood and anxiety responses.
• Reduces Physical Symptoms of Anxiety: Iron deficiency can cause symptoms like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness, which are also common physical symptoms of anxiety. Correcting iron levels can reduce these overlapping symptoms.
• Supports Hormonal Balance: Iron helps in the production of certain hormones, and imbalances can contribute to mood swings and increased anxiety, especially during menstruation or pregnancy when iron needs are higher.
• Boosts Energy Levels: Adequate iron is necessary for producing hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body, helping to prevent fatigue and weakness, both of which can contribute to feelings of anxiety.
• Prevents Restless Leg Syndrome: Iron deficiency is linked to restless leg syndrome, which can cause sleep disturbances. Poor sleep quality can increase stress and anxiety, so maintaining iron levels is key for restful sleep.

So, it’s super important to increase iron in your daily diet. Some good sources include red meat, beans, and spinach. An iron supplement will also do the job.

6. Zinc

Zinc is another major nutrient that directly affects the brain’s response to stress and mood regulation. Low levels of zinc have been linked with increased anxiety and depression because zinc affects neurotransmitter function ³. It also supports three other important bodily functions –  immunity, wound healing, and DNA synthesis.

Here are the benefits of zinc for your mental health and anxiety:

• Supports Neurotransmitter Function: Zinc plays a crucial role in neurotransmitter regulation, particularly in the production of GABA and serotonin, which help calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
• Reduces Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Studies show that zinc deficiency is linked to increased anxiety and depression, and maintaining adequate zinc levels can improve mood and reduce stress.
• Protects Against Neuroinflammation: Zinc has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce neuroinflammation that can contribute to anxiety and cognitive issues.
• Boosts Cognitive Function: Zinc is essential for brain health, supporting memory, focus, and cognitive performance, all of which can be negatively impacted by anxiety.
• Improves Stress Response: Zinc helps regulate the body’s stress response by influencing cortisol levels, helping to manage stress and prevent anxiety from worsening.
• Supports Hormonal Balance: Zinc is important for regulating hormones, including those related to stress and mood. Balanced hormone levels can lead to fewer mood swings and reduced anxiety.
• Enhances Immune Function: A strong immune system, supported by adequate zinc intake, helps reduce overall stress on the body, which can lower anxiety levels and improve mental resilience.
• Promotes Better Sleep: Zinc contributes to the production of melatonin, which regulates sleep patterns. Adequate sleep is essential for reducing anxiety and maintaining mental health.

Foods like meat, shellfish, seeds, and nuts are rich in zinc. You can also include a zinc supplement into your daily routine.

7. Omega Fatty-Acids

Omega fatty acids, particularly Omega-3s, are essential for brain health and reducing inflammation. This has a huge effect on mood and anxiety.  In fact, several researchers have found a direct relation between a deficiency in Omega-3s and anxiety. They also support your heart health and cognitive function.

Here are the benefits of omega-3s for overall health, with a focus on mental health and anxiety:

• Supports Brain Health: Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, are crucial for brain structure and function. They help maintain cognitive performance, improve focus, and protect against mental fatigue, which can ease anxiety.
• Reduces Anxiety Symptoms: Studies suggest that omega-3s can lower the production of stress hormones like cortisol, leading to reduced symptoms of anxiety and improved mood regulation.
• Improves Mood and Reduces Depression: Omega-3s, particularly EPA, play a significant role in regulating serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that influence mood, helping to combat both anxiety and depression.
• Decreases Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is linked to anxiety and other mental health issues. Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties that protect the brain from inflammation-related anxiety.
• Supports Stress Response: Omega-3s help regulate the body’s response to stress by lowering inflammation and balancing cortisol levels, which can prevent anxiety from escalating.
• Boosts Cognitive Function: Regular intake of omega-3s is associated with better cognitive performance, memory, and focus, all of which can suffer during periods of heightened anxiety.
• Promotes Emotional Regulation: Omega-3s help maintain the brain’s communication pathways, promoting emotional stability and reducing mood swings, making it easier to manage anxiety.
• Enhances Sleep Quality: Omega-3s support healthy sleep patterns by regulating melatonin production, leading to better rest, which is crucial for anxiety management and overall mental health.

Aim to include more fatty fish like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds into your diet as they’re excellent sources of fatty acids in your diet. If you have a hard time eating these foods, a fish oil supplement is a good alternative.

Should You Take Vitamins for Anxiety?

Nutrient supplements are very common nowadays. According to a recent survey, 74% of Americans rely on dietary supplements to get through life ⁴. This is because a well-balanced, healthy diet requires a lot of time and effort and supplements allow you to get the nutrients you need quickly.

If you struggle with it, too, taking supplements for anxiety or just your overall health in general can be an excellent choice. Be sure to do your research before taking any supplements to ensure you know how to use them properly. It’s recommended to consult your doctor prior to getting started with any supplementation.

. 

Final Thoughts of Nutrient Deficiencies Causing Anxiety

Nutrient deficiencies might not be causing your anxiety but they can certainly be contributing to it. In addition to correcting your diet by following the recommendations covered in this article, it’s also important to learn stress management techniques to help you control your anxiety. But with a couple bites (or supplements) of the right foods, you can completely shift how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. So, don’t underestimate the nutrient deficiencies causing anxiety.

References:

1. Barbagallo, M., & Dominguez, L. J. (2010). Magnesium and aging. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 16(7), 832-839. https://doi.org/10.2174/138161210790883507
2. Anglin, R. E., Samaan, Z., Walter, S. D., & McDonald, S. D. (2013). Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 202(2), 100-107. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.111.106666
3. Szewczyk, B. (2013). Zinc homeostasis and neurodegenerative disorders. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 5, 33. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00033
4. Council for Responsible Nutrition. (2021). 2021 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements. Council for Responsible Nutrition. https://www.crnusa.org/resources/2021-crn-consumer-survey-dietary-supplements